The Anti-Bush Protesters

According to this report in the Washington Times, the number of protesters in New York on August 29, 2004, was announced to be 400,000 by the organizers of the event. Unofficially, police estimated about half that number.

Nonetheless, there's some agreement that the crowd was larger than 100,000 people, and possibly reached 200,000, who clamored for the defeat of President Bush in November. A group called United for Peace and Justice, funded by the Tides Foundation and individual donations, organized the demonstration which was led by Michael Moore, Danny Glover, and Jesse Jackson.

So, who are the protesters? There have been hints that they represent a cross-section of the American public, filled with a national anger at President Bush and the Republicans. Well, to dispel any illusions, a quick review of the website of the organizers would indicate that there seems to be little commonality with most of America. United for Peace and Justice is an umbrella organization that guides almost 900 member groups listed on its website. Follow the link for the complete list. For illustration, the following sample of member groups of United for Peace and Justice is provided.

A.W.O.L.
African Ancestral Lesbians United for Societal Change
An Absurd Response to an Absurd War
Anti-Capitalist Convergence
Black Radical Congress

Buddha's Light Universal Welfare Society (BLUWS)
Bush Is To Blame.com
Code Pink
Committee to Free Pedro Pacheco
Communist Party USA

Democratic Socialists of America
Earth Rights Institute
Evanston Mennonite Peace & Social Concerns Committee
Freedom Road Socialist Organization
Gay Men of African Descent

Hip-Hop Against Racist War
House of The Goddess Center for Pagan Wombyn
Institute for Policy Studies
International Socialist Organization
Iranian Women for Peace

Justice for Woody
Labone Branch of Ghana United Nations Association
League of Revolutionaries for a New America
Missing Kitten TV
Movement for Democratic Socialism

National Lawyers Guild
No Blood For Oil
Not In Our Name
Out Against War: LGBT Coalition for Peace & Justice
Pennsylvania Lesbian and Gay Task Force

Punks For Peace
Queers for Economic Justice
Ronald Reagan Home for the Criminally Insane
Ruckus Society
Socialist Party USA

Students Transforming and Resisting Corporations (STARC)
The Peace Farm
The United Students of S�o Paulo, Brazil
Ukuleles For Sanity
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation

Victims of Direct Energy and Electronic Harassment
Vieques Support Campaign
Workers Party
Young Communist League, USA
Young Democratic Socialists

Young Peoples Socialist League
Youth for Socialist Action

As can be seen, there's more than a token representation of socialist groups and a number of single issue groups. Nonetheless, the purpose of showing this sample list is to support my contention that the anti-Bush protesters do not appear to be a cross-section of all Americans. It does appear, however, to be a cross-section of radical leftist groups in America.